I stopped in to get some of the famous black and white cookies. The small ones were $2.25 per cookie I think. I kept reading that these were supposedly the best black and whites in nyc but I'm not sure if that's true. To be honest the chocolate frosting tasted like what you get on Entenmanns donuts. But the people behind the counter were great and super fast No complaints, just didn't blow me away as I had hoped read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Small Black and White Cookie - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Pregnant and woke up craving the best black-and-white in NYC. Hightailed it here. No wonder it's an institution. Perfect black-and-white with their soft, fluffy cake and homemade vanilla and chocolate frosting. Their seven-layer cake is also insane! Pillowy cake with what tastes like their thick chocolate frosting, couldn't get enough of this one. ALS enjoyed the sticky bun (the Schengen), but the black-and-white and seven-layer slices are a must. Can't wait to come back. 5 stars!!!! read more

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I threw a baby shower for a colleague and came here to buy their blue cupcakes and blue and white cookies for the party. I originally only ordered a dozen cupcakes and 6 cookies, but I impulse bought 6 more of the cookies. This business was accommodating when I had to delay pick up of the order because we had to postpone the party (the baby came early). My one complaint is that if I didn't impulse buy additional cookies, they would not have charged me for the bag. The big bag carried everything that I had prepaid in advance, which did not include a bag fee. I was a little annoyed that they still charged me a bag fee after everything I bought but whatever I guess it's fine. If I didn't buy anything extra the day of pick up, I would have just walked out of there without paying for the bag... I did not know until my second visit to pick up my order that they have gluten free options. We have someone in our lab with Celiac disease so I bought a few of these gluten free cookies for her. I only wish I could have pre ordered them in the blue and white color to be on theme with the baby shower! Overall, a good option to buy blue desserts in NYC. read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Cupcakes and Small Black and White Cookie - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

I absolutely loved the cookies. Black and white was one of my favorites ever and the sugar cookies were great and not too sweet. Service was very nice. read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

I love William Greenberg Desserts. I got an assortment of mini black & white cookies and a bag of rainbow cookies. Those 2 things are NYC to me. I'll be back! read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Small Black and White Cookies - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

William Greenberg has been my favorite bran muffin baker for years and years. I wish I still lived in this neighborhood so I could buy some frequently. I do have a William Greenberg fairly close to my current apartment on the Upper East Side. If I'm in this neighborhood I know I am treated in the professional manner of an old school NYC neighborhood bakery. I'm provided with a box and a bag and my muffins are in beautiful shape when I get home. I love the coconut cake and the mini black and white cookies too. There's something for everyone here. If you leave empty handed shame on you! I can't wait to return to any of the neighborhood locations. TIP: The location in the mall in Hudson Yards can't compare! read more

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Beyond thrilled when this UES staple finally ventured west. The shop is so bright and inviting, the mini black & white cookies are the best in the city, and they always come up with festive holiday treats! read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

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I get the black and white cookies hype now. Super friendly workers, decent prices for cookies, and absolutely delicious.

I had my first encounter with William Greenberg in May 2023. We got married in the city and went for lunch nearby, and my father-in-law ended up at our table with a gigantic box of black and white cookies and a puzzled look on his face. Apparently the staff at WG saw us get married and sent over some cookies to celebrate. AMAZING cookies, by the way. I had my second encounter with WG at an office party. Someone brought in their chocolate babka and it was absolutely incredible. So, recently, I figured that I'd actually go and spend some money there. We got a chocolate babka of our own and it was very good. Lots of chocolate and layers - sweet but just the perfect amount. All of the desserts looked amazing and the staff was super helpful. We will definitely be back and have had nothing but great experiences here so far. Thanks especially for the wedding memory, WG! read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Chocolate babka - couldn't even wait to get home to take a photo of it - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Very disappointing experience with this bakery. I called to place a very large pick up order which was refused. I was told I could walk in the following week. I got up early before work, walked 15 blocks and arrived right when they open at 8 am, only to discover they decided to manually change their hours when a hand written note on the door. I find the way this store is run to be very unprofessional. read more

Good desserts. Nice interior to the shop. Friendly service. Had rugrelach - all flavors - apple, raspberry, chocolate and nut. Craig's favorite was apple. read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

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Like this place a lot. Delicious cookies and cupcakes, fair prices and nice staff. It's always clean and orderly inside. Two thumbs up.

One of my favorite things about NYC's dining scene has always been the abundance of iconic spots that only operate a single location and thus require most New Yorkers to trek to whatever neighborhood the spot has called home for decades. These spots almost always have throwback vibes, a cool lineage of family ownership and well-deserved reputations for deliciousness. And to the extent these spots take you to a neighborhood you'd otherwise rarely visit, they're a fantastic excuse to explore the city's innumerable nooks and crannies. I offer that prelude because it's been feeling like an unusual number of the aforementioned iconic spots have suddenly decided to expand after eons in a single place. To cite just a few examples, LES institution Russ & Daughters is now slicing lox at Hudson Yards, Peter Luger just opened in Vegas, UWS destination Levain is baking behemoth cookies in a half-dozen 'hoods, LES bialy mecca Kossar's is supposedly opening soon on the UWS, and Midwood landmark Di Fara has joined the mad dash of revered restaurants licensing their names to that Wonder ghost kitchen chain that won't stop sending junk mail to all of us. This may or may not represent a real trend, but in any event, William Greenberg Desserts, founded when Truman was president and famous for its paradigmatic rendition of the black-and-white cookie, is among the latest old-school spots to decide the time has finally come to branch out a bit. Whereas William Greenberg once gave me an excuse to stroll along the spotless sidewalks of Madison Avenue in the East 80s, its bakery now beckons right by my home, on the laid-back blocks of Amsterdam Avenue in the West 70s. (It has also expanded to Midtown and Hudson Yards, although I'm not sure if those locations are currently open.) There's an inevitable tradeoff with this sort of expansion; by definition, it adds convenience, but as soon as something ceases to be one of a kind, it loses a little mystique. And quality control of course becomes more challenging, as evidenced by chain restaurants generally being synonymous with mediocrity. So, when I learned that William Greenberg was opening right downstairs, I felt excitement tinged with trepidation. But after coming here regularly for the past year, it's hard to imagine I ever had doubts. The black-and-white cookies (also sold in seasonal colors) are conspicuously and consistently better than any others I've found. The flavors and icing are great, but the composition of the actual cookie -- a middle ground between cake and sugar cookie -- is what sets it apart. William Greenberg sells lots of other impressive items, including thin slices of chocolate layer cake, sticky schnecken buns, buttery linzers and rainbow cookies encased in soft fondant. Also, the hospitality is so unfailingly pleasant that I always want to tip on the smallest of purchases, and yet, their touchscreen payment tablet doesn't even offer a gratuity option -- a real rarity nowadays, when it feels like every business passive-aggressively prompts you to tack on an extra 20%. One last thing: The fact that William Greenberg originated on the UES, and has now expanded to the UWS, and is synonymous with black-and-white cookies, carries some subtle symbolism, given that the UES and UWS are caricatured for having polar-opposite vibes and a bit of a rivalry. As a longtime Upper West Sider, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the new William Greenberg location is -- despite my initial misgivings -- probably superior to its location on the other side of Central Park. If it's any consolation to my Upper East Side friends, you can always use this fact as an excuse to explore a neighborhood you'd otherwise rarely visit -- who knows, maybe you'll find that William Greenberg isn't the only thing that's better over here. read more

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Another bakery has opened up in UWS! It's conveniently located with easy access from the 72nd St subway station. This was my first time trying the famous Black & White Cookies. We got 2 of the mini-sized ones, which were $2 each. I was surprised to find how soft they were, with a cake-like texture. The Black & White Cookie had a rich chocolate and vanilla frosting, which we preferred over the pastel colored one. They have a small seating area inside, but didn't serve any drinks, so we took our cookies to go. Would recommend for when you're looking for a sugary treat. read more

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I recently got a black-and-white cookie here and was extremely disappointed. The chocolate part had minimal flavor and the white part also needed to be more flavorful. read more

I love New York bakery food. Now that I live in California, those coveted, black-and-white cookies, and hamentashen are hard to come by. So when I visit to New York, indulging in one or both is a must. There was a good variety of items, and I chose a classic black-and-white along with a cherry hamentashen. The black-and-white was fine, but definitely not one of the best. The hamentashen was indelible and consumed by the person in the group with the least tastebuds. read more

Yes, it's true. Greenberg's is not the bakery it was 60+ years ago. The b/w cookies aren't quite as flavorful, the sticky schnecken (sp?) aren't quite the original balance of moist on the inside and sticky and harder on the outside, and the challah has gone downhill. Oh, and the staff is surly and lacking knowledge. But -- sorry naysayers, the b/w cookies are still the most authentic to old school NYC Jewish bakeries, and the babka is still the best around (the cinnamon is absolutely delicious). read more

I have tried several items at William Greenberg Desserts. Overall, I was disappointed with the quality. The challahs and the large black and whites were very dry. The black and whites are sitting out on large trays and don't seem to have particularly high turnover. The frosting is fine, but just fine. The smaller black and whites are better, but I would recommend a short walk up to Zabar's or Orwasher's for a much better cookie. The service is also lacking. On the few visits I have made, the staff has been rude and it can be difficult to catch their attention to order something behind the counter. Getting rung up can seem like a major imposition to the staff and the experience is noticeably worse than at any of the other bakeries in the neighborhood. Overall, the cookies are fine, but you can find better pastries and friendlier service at many other bakeries on the Upper West Side. read more

Came in because i saw they had GF options so that's great. On the other hand the staff was Rude!!! when my friend came in they yelled "MY FLOORS' which we took as hasty behavior. I checked out and bought my cookie. We tried to get out but they locked the door and then proceeded to tell us "USE THE LATCH"!! They locked us in bc they were too impatient to wait for us to leave. Not a great environment and the cookie was horrible! i needed spit to get it down it was that dry! Not giving at all!! Bleh!! read more

William Greenberg Desserts - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

This bakery has delicious prune danishes and dark bran muffins, which were scarce on my last trip to Manhattan. Located in a great neighborhood on the Upper West Side. read more

I have not yet tried the pastry here, but have bought at other WG stores. This one has some kosher (dairy) products too. read more

The cookies are simply delicious!! can also store them in the refrigerator and take them out for 30 minutes at room temperature and they taste like you just bought them. read more

I just went to Greenbergs for the first time in maybe 20 years. I remember their schneckin/cinnamon rolls as crispy, crunchy, dough topped with a THICK, SWEET syrupy drizzle. They were simply THE BEST indulgence!!! The one I just got is nothing like that. Its dense dough was wrapped around a mildly cinnamon swirl with no thick syrup on the outside. Tastes very institutional. Do, so disappointing. I guess what they say is true...you can't go home again. read more

i remember going to their location at the plaza and i always liked them! these black and white cookies are so soft! and they come in other colors. i also love the linsor tarts. i get the mini size. they have really good jam in the middle and powdered sugar on top. very good and sweet! :) read more

William Greenberg Desserts - two donuts on a piece of paper - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

As a former New York City resident who grew up on black-and-white cookies it was a planned stop on my last visit. I even brought one back for a fellow East Coast transplant who loved it even two days later. read more

The one, the only, the original. This is vintage NYC. A must for anyone who wants to feel the Manhattan vibe at its finest, old school best! And cakes and cookies and brownies cannot be matched anywhere. read more

Best Linzer Tarts in the USA!! Whenever I'm in Manhattan visiting family I won't leave until I go to William Greenberg to get a few (or maybe more...) of their raspberry linzer tarts (cookies). I made the mistake with sharing them with some neighbors and friends and now every time I go to Manhattan I have to bring even more home for them. They text me, not to say hi or see how life is, but to ask me when I'm going to be in the city because they're craving WG's linzers. Please don't think of me as a tourist, I am a New Yorker who just sadly no longer lives there. Even sadder I live in an area with no linzer tarts. I do make my own that are quite good. But William Greenberg's takes the cake! Or in this case the cookie. They are the traditional raspberry, which honestly IMO is the only flavor thy should be (I'm Viennese and German, my Grandparents trained me in the art of Linzer ) They come in 2 sizes, I've had both and there equally amazing. They're buttery, and have just the right amount of crumble while still being soft enough to not totally fall apart when you take a bite. They have Just the right amount of filling and powdered sugar. You get that buttery cookie with a tangy raspberry finished off with powdered sugar. If you don't end up with a powdered sugar buttery crumb decoration on your face and shirt, you're eating them wrong! As you can see, I'm a fan of this particular confection, and I have tried them at many a bakery in Manhattan, and in the USA. I have to say William Greenberg makes one heck of a great Linzer Tart!! If you're in the city check out one of their locations. read more

In late September 2022, I placed an order by phone for 48 cupcakes, for my kindergartener's birthday party. I specifically confirmed (i) that I would pick up the order at the UWS location and (ii) that we would receive a mix of cupcake and icing flavors. Before setting out for the UWS store on the designated pickup date, I called the main line several times to confirm the time and location of pickup. However, no one answered the phone. Ultimately, given that the bakery was scheduled to close at 4 pm, I decided to just head over. I arrived (with my toddler in a stroller) only to be told dismissively that my cupcakes must be at the other location, that there is no communication between the sites, and that they had no better way of reaching the UES location than calling the same number on the general website that I had been calling without success. I then had to scramble to drop my toddler off at home and take a cab to the UES location to arrive before it closed. The staff there were kinder than at the UWS location, and they informed me apologetically that despite my order being for a mix of flavors, I was getting 100% chocolate cupcakes, almost all of them with chocolate icing. I asked them to confirm that they were packing up 48 cupcakes for me to bring home. They said yes, and they also threw in a few leftovers from the store's cupcake offerings that day, since they were about to close and felt bad about the mixups. Since it was raining and I live on the UWS, I took my order home via cab. When I unpacked it, I realized that, notwithstanding what the UES staff had told me, only 30 cupcakes had been provided in fulfillment of my order. Thankfully, with the (largely uniced/undecorated) leftovers they had given me, we had just enough for the kids and parents at party. The entire experience was infuriating. Given the number of cupcakes their staff actually provided me with, I overpaid by $54 for the order itself, plus I had to spend $50 in cab fares to and from their UES location (and, of course, I could have used my time that afternoon in a more productive manner if only I hadn't had to chase after cupcakes on a deadline). (As a secondary complaint, the cupcakes were dry and bland.) This was my first time ordering from William Greenberg, and needless to say, it fell far short of my expectations. As a coda, I emailed them after the party to relay my experience and seek a partial refund, and they never bothered to respond. It was only at that point that I decided to share my experience publicly. tl;dr - DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

My family's absolute favorite bakery -- the place for classic cakes and New York City treasures like black and white cookies, rugelach and babka. Birthdays are usually our excuse for their famous chocolate cake, but to please a birthday honoree today we ordered their German chocolate cake. It is beyond beyond! So moist and fresh, the cake light but chocolatey, the chocolate frosting to die for, and the coconut filling (with what seems like fresh coconut) out of this world. My goal for 2023 is to work my way through the rest of their cakes! read more